Manufacture of hats.



Patented Dot. 8, 1918,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 W r/vns .553:

J. J. TRACY.

MANUFACTURE OF HATS.

APPLICATION FILED MAYI. I914.

1,280,902. Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

2 SHEET$SHEET 2- WITNE66E- V /V T018 iTTOlE/VEJ ojing material, as thecase may be, applied to JAMES J. TRACY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

to. I

MANUFACTURE OF HATS. 5

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Opt. 8, 1918.

Application filed May 7, 1914. Serial No. 836,954.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known t at I, JAMES J.- TRACY, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county ofCuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvementin the Manufacture of Hats, of which the following is a specification,the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best modein which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as todistinguish it from other inventions.

The present improved process relating, as indicated, to the manufactureof hats, has more particular regard to the manufacture of so-calledvelvet and plush hats. In contradistinction, both to straw hatsfand felthats, hats of the type named are of composite construction, beingregularly made up with an intermediate layer of buckram and a layer ofvelvet, silk, plush, or other cover each side of such buckram layer.Particularly where velvet or plush is thus used to form the outer orcover layers of the hat, it is very difiicult to assemble such layerswithout marring the material, the aim of the manufacturer, to achieve atop without a mar, being hard to realize.

The only entirely satisfactory method heretofore used in t e manufactureof hats of this kind has been an essentially hand method, the coverlayer being cut out on a pattern, and then pasted 'by hand on thebuckram layer, after the latter has been stretchedover, and while it isstill supported on, a mold. It has indeed been attempted to make hats ofthis kind by machine proc ess, two heated dies being employed, the

' unshaped buckram layer being placed, to-

gether with the upper cover layer, in place on the lower or convex die,and the upper concave die being then brought down on top ofsuch coverlayer, thereby simultaneously shaping the buckram and securing the layerof velvet or the like thereto. This process, however, is objectionablein that the pressure of the upper die, combined with the heat andmoisture, flattens out the pile of the velvet, and it is very diflicultto restore the latter to give the soft natural appearance desired. It isalso apt to leave pressure marks in the form of glossy places on othercovering materials, even when they have no ile. p The object of thepresent process is to provide means whereby hats of the type in other ofsuch question may be manufactured rapidly and economically and withoutany of the objectionable results heretofore attaching to machinemanufacture. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related objects,the invention, then, consists of the steps herein after fully describedand particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailcertain modes of carrying out the invention, such disclosed modes,however, illustrating but several of the various ways in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings 1 Figure 1 is a central vertical section of anapparatus adapted for use in the present improved method of manufacture,the parts of a hat being shown in preliminary assembled'conditlon onsuch apparatus; Fig. 2 is a similar sectional -view showing the parts inquestion in a more advanced operative stage; Fig. 3 is a plan view of ashaped view correspon ing with Figs. 1 and 2, but showing a modificationin construction; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of another modified form ofconstruction of the apparatus; 7 is a horizontal section of such lastmodified form, as indicated by line 77, Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a verticalsection showing yet another modification.

Briefly stated, the steps involved in carry ing on the present, improvedrocess are as follows. The buckram layer may or may not be first shapedby itself, although the more expeditious method, where possible, will beto shape such layer together with the cover layer as practically oneoperation. Where the buckram is preliminarily shaped by itself, this isaccomplished in the usual way by dampening the layer and then pressingthe same between complementary dies to arts; Fig. 5 is a sectional Themold appearing in said figures is of hollow construction, preferablybeing made of metal such as zinc, and is provided with a series ofperforations or holes 2 disposed at what I shall term critical points,that is, for example, around the outside trimming edge of the hatform,-and at the inner edge or incurved portion thereof, as indicated insaid Figs. 1 and 2. Such hollow perforated mold,

in when in use, is designed to be placed over an opening 3 in a suitablechamber 4 adapted to be connected either with a line 5, whereby steammay be admitted thereto, or with a line 6 whereby suction may be exertedin said chamber and, through the opening 3, in the interior of themold 1. Valves 7 and 8 serve" to control the connection of said chamberwith lines 5'- and 6, respectively, and an annular sheet 10 of rubberserves as a gasket to insure a tight fit between the mold and the top ofthe chamber.

Assuming the buckram shape A to have been preliminarily prepared in thefashion above described, either the outer face of 2t such shape, towhich the layer B of velvet or equivalent material is designed to beattached, is coated with suitable adhesive ma terial such as paste orsize, or else the inner faceof such sheet of velvet is similarly 80coated, (or, for that matter, both may be thus coated) such sheet beingconveniently left of rectangular form as shown in Fig. i, but having, ifdesired, an opening I) corresponding in location with that of the crownI a to of the hat. The buckram shape, with its outer face thus. pasted,is next placed on the mold 1 as shown in Fig. 1, or the paste may beapplied after it has been placed in position on such mold, the moldhaving been'preto liminarily heated by admitting steam to the l interiorof the chamber 4 and by directly applying a gas flame, or like heatingagency,

to its outer surface. Other modes of heating the mold are illustrated inFigs. 5, 6 and 7,

ea respectively, as will 'be presently described.

Thereupon the sheet B of velvet, being suitably held by the operators ateach corner, is 'laid with its central opening properly disposed overthe mold and the suction turned on, at the same time that the cornersare.

gradually released- The steamline 5 will of a course have beenpreviously shut off. As a result of such release of the sheet B and theapplication of'the suction to the interior of the mold, the sheet ofvelvet is drawn instantly and yet snugly into place on the buckram. Anywrinkles that may be incidentally formed at the corner can be readilysmoothed. outwith a stick, although if to the sheet be carefullymanipulated such wrinkles will seldom occur. 7 The application of thesuction tinued for a sufiicient length of time to allow the heated moldto substantially dry the ades hesive material between the outer face ofthe is con-' w asoeoa buckram shape and the under face of the velvetlayer. As a result, when the shape is removed from the mold, the velvetlayer will be firmly attached thereto and given a permanent set,corresponding with the shape of 7c the buckram layer and that of themold. The portions of the velvet layer extending beyond the trimmingedge of the hat will be cut away, and the part may then be submitted tofurther operations as usual. The next operation will ordinarily be thesecuring of the under layer to the bottom of the buckram shape in casethe. part is a brim, as illustrated in the figurespreviously referredto. Where it is a crown that is being made instead of a brim part, themode of procedure is substantially the same as that described, save forthe difference in shape of the mold. The under side of such a crown partwill of course not require tobe lined as in the case of a brim, with alayer of velvet or other covering material.

The construction of apparatus illustrated in Fig. 5 difiers from thatshown in Figs. 1 and 2, first in that the apertures 11 in the incurvedportion, or angle, of the mold 1' are larger and covered with a sheet 12of thin wire gauze. This insures an increased suc- I tion at this point,Without, however, permitting the shape of the hat part to be distortedor the marks of the holes to ,be left visible on the part. In additionthere is shown in this figure more or less permanent arrange ment ofheating means, comprising an annular burner 25 that enclrcles the bodyof'the mold, the gas jets being directed upwardly so as to strike thesides of the latter which is further rovided with a flange 26 thatprevents the dame from injuring the hat material.

Instead ofheating the mold. by exteriorly applying heat thereto from anopen burner,

or series of gas jets, as previously described,

the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 may be desirably-employed,such arrangement comprising a heating chamber 13 that encircles theouter wall 14 of the mold proper, being formed by a secondary wall 15integral at its upper edge with such outer wall and conforming ingeneral with the 135 shape of the latter. Connected with this chamber 13is a tubular chamber or duct 17 thatextends transversely of the moldbelow the lowermost portion of the formed surface of the latter, asshown in Fig, 6, a gas burner 18 being arranged to scharge a blast ofheated gases directly into the outer end of such chamber, which isenlarged to form a combustion chamber 19. At a point substantiallyopposite to the point where 126 the duct 17 connects with the annularchamber 13, a suction line 20 is connected with the latter through whichthe gases of combustion that are discharged into the chainber from theburner may be withdrawn. 1130 Preferably, as indicated in the figuresjust referred to, the suction line is thus connected with the annularchamber at a point nearer to the higher side of the mold, rather than tothe lower side of such mold, where the latter is of irregular contour,as is generally the case in molds designed for use in the connection inhand. The hot gases will be correspondingly diverted in larger amount tosuch higher side of the mold, and the uniform heating of the shaped faceof the same thus insured.

The mold is supportedon the'chamber' 4 the same as before, and a steamsupply line 5 and suction line 6 are connected with the latter, wherebysaid chamber may oe heated, or a suction produced in the interior of themold proper in order to hold the buckramshape thereon and draw thevelvet layer onto such shape, as occasion may require.

As hereinbefore indicated, it is not necessary, in carrying out thepresent invention, that the body layer of buckram be preliminarilyshaped, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, before being applied to the mold 1instead, such body layer may be shaped along with the cover layer ofvelvet, silk or like material, in a single operation. Where such shapingof both layers is to be accomplished simultaneously, a sheet of buckramof substantially the shape and size of the sheet of cover material willbe employed, and preferably neither sheet will be apertured, as isindicated, in the case of the preliminarily.

formed buckram sheet in Fig. 3, and in the case of the cover sheet inFig. 4.

The sheet of buckram will, however, be dampened and the cover sheet willhave its own surface coated with paste or other suitable adhesivematerial. Thereupon the cover sheet'will be applied to the sheet ofbuckram and the two sheets will be seized at their corners by theoperators, usually two in number, each operator taking a corner in eachhand, and the sheets thus held will be placed on the mold 1, the latterbeing at the proper temperature, which it has been found in ractice liesbetween 300 and 350 Fahrenheit. At the same time that the sheets arethus placed over the mold the suction line 6 is open so that the buckramsheet with the cover sheet thus pasted thereonis drawn into closeconformity with the outer face of the mold. Inasmuch as the paste doesnot set for an appreciable interval of time, opportunity is offered forthe cover way the head size of the hat part is established; at the sametime the lower edge of the die which is fairly sharp, the die being cutaway as shown 111 said figure, forces the layers of such hat part'intothe angle between the brim and crown, rendering it unnecessary to pressa stick along such angle. The die, it will be observed, comes intocontact with the crown portion only, which part will be covered in thecompletely assembled hat, and does not mar the brim portion in any way.

In this modified procedure, as in the first described procedure, the hatpart is allowed to remain on the mold until the adhesive material hasbecome substantially dry, the air suction being maintained until theform of the hat part is well fixed.

With either of the above describedmodifications of. the process andemploying either form of apparatus illustrated, it has been found thatthe manufacture of hats 'of this type cannot only be accom lished withfar greater rapidity than by t e previous method of machine manufacturebut regards the st ps herein disclosed,provided the steps stated by anyof the following claims or the equivalent of such stated steps beemployed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention 1. In a method of manufacturing hats, composed of a body layerand a cover layer, the steps which consist in applying the cover layerto such body layer, suitable adhesive material being interposed betweenthe adjacent surfaces of such layers; and then simultaneously shapingboth such layers together over a suitable mold, before suchfadhesivematerial sets, whereby such layers may relatively adjust themselves,substantially as described. I i

2. In a method of manufacturing hats, composed of a body layer and acover layer, the steps which consist in applying the cover layer to suchbody layer, suitable adhesive material being interposed between theadjacent surfaces of'such layers; then simultaneously shaping both suchlayers together over a suitable mold, before such adhesive materialsets, whereby such layers may relatively adjust themselves; andthereupon heating said mold to set such materialand thus fix the shapeof such layers.

3. In a method of manufacturing hats,

. &

' hesive material sets, whereby. such layers composed of a body layerand a cover layer, the steps which consist in applying the cover layerto such body layer, suitable adhesive material being interposedbetweenthe adjacent surfaces of such layers; and then simulr taneously shapingboth such layers together drawing the same-into forceful contact with asuitable mold by suction, before such adhesive material sets, wherebysuch layers may relatively adjust themselves, substantially asdescribed. 7

-.4. In a method of manufacturing hats, composed of a body layer and acover layer, the steps which consist in applying the cover layer to suchbody layer, suitable adhesive material being interposed between theadjacent surfaces of such layers; then simultaneously shaping both suchlayers by drawin the same into forceful contact with a sultable mold bysuction, before such admay relatively adjust themselves; and. thereuponheating said mold to set such material and thus fix the shape of suchlayers.

5. In a method of manufacturing hats,

composed of a body layer and a cover layer, the steps which consist inapplying such cover layer to such body layer, suitable ad.

'hesive material being interposed between 6. In a method ofmanufacturing hats,

composed of a body layer and a cover layer, the steps which consist inapplying such 'cover layer to such body layer, suitable adhesivematerial being interposed between the adjacent surfaces of such layers;and

then simultaneously shaping and setting both such layers by drawing thesame into forceful contact with a suitable heated mold by suction, theouter surface of the composite body being open to the atmosphere. Signedby me, this 6th day of May, 1914.

. JAMES J. TRACY.

Attested by I D. T. Davies,

A. L. GILL.

